Hong Kong recorded 28 severe child flu cases from June to the end of October, including two deaths and four cases classified as critical, according to Centre for Health Protection figures reported by HK01.
Dr Mike Kwan Yat-wah, a paediatric immunology, allergy and infectious-disease specialist, said children with serious symptoms such as persistent high fever, vomiting, abdominal pain or difficulty breathing should receive prompt medical attention. Shortness of breath and wheezing are also warning signs, he said. Young children and those with chronic illnesses, weaker immunity, or heart, lung or neurological conditions need particular attention.
Persistent vomiting and abdominal pain can be symptoms of myocarditis, Kwan warned, and should not automatically be dismissed as a stomach or intestinal problem.
Kwan said he had observed children’s flu conditions worsening faster this season than in previous years. Some children, he said, developed low blood pressure and widespread bleeding; in some cases, the illness led to encephalitis.
After schools reopened, nearly 460 outbreaks of flu-like illness were reported at schools, affecting about 2,800 people, HK01 reported.
Kwan said the first 48 hours after symptoms begin are an important window for antiviral treatment, when the virus is multiplying and being shed in large amounts. He proposed that the industry consider baloxavir, a second-generation antiviral that targets viral replication and is taken as a single dose, to help reduce community transmission.
Kwan said oral antiviral medication cannot replace vaccination. He advised people at higher risk, including children with congenital immune deficiencies, to get a flu vaccine early.